Business and a Brew

Imposter syndrome has a funny way of turning capable people into silent overthinkers.

In this part 2 conversation, we sit down with Dawn Baxter and get honest about what imposter syndrome actually does in real life. Not just the wobbly confidence moments, but the chronic self doubt, the anxiety, the burnout, and the perfectionism that quietly chips away at brilliant people and entire workplaces.

We talk about how it shows up as procrastination, fear of failure, and playing small to avoid being seen. How it impacts productivity, engagement, and retention. And why workplaces often end up rewarding the loudest voices instead of the most thoughtful, innovative, and conscientious ones.

We also explore how positive psychology and supportive leadership can change the game. How recognising imposter syndrome early protects performance, confidence, and wellbeing. And why some of the highest performing people are often the least likely to shout about it.

This one’s for anyone who’s ever thought “they’re going to find me out” while quietly doing exceptional work.

And yes, we wrap things up with a conversation about resilience, because getting your confidence back isn’t about becoming louder. It’s about becoming steadier.

About Simon and Danielle:

Simon and Danielle are both business owners, based in the East Midlands, who met through mutual business contacts and who share a love of all things business. 

Simon runs Skylight Media – Award-winning experts in Website Design, E-commerce & Marketing running since 2003.

Danielle runs Goldspun Support – a multi-faceted support service for fractional directors and small business owners across the globe, running since 2009.

Since they first met Simon and Danielle have spent a ridiculous amount of time talking about the subjects that interest them – usually over a drink in the pub – and they decided that now was the time to bring these conversations to a wider audience and invite them to join the chat. 

Both Simon and Danielle are successful business owners in their own rights with big plans for the future but will never lose their love of talking all things business… and the pub.

Ever had that quiet voice in your head whispering, “I don’t actually belong here”… even when all the evidence says otherwise?

In this episode, we sit down together with our producer and guest, Dawni Baxter from Beyond the Dawn Digital, to crack open a proper conversation about impostor syndrome. The kind that shows up when you’re doing well, leading teams, making big decisions and still wondering when someone’s going to tap you on the shoulder and say you’ve been found out.

We talk through what impostor syndrome actually is, why it tends to hit high performers the hardest, and the five common ways it shows up. From the perfectionist who never feels it’s enough, to the soloist who feels they have to carry everything alone. Chances are, you’ll hear yourself in more than one.

We also share personal experiences, including moments from leadership and education where almost everyone in the room admitted they felt the same self doubt. It’s far more common than people realise, especially at senior levels, and it’s not a lack of ability. It’s awareness without context.

This episode is honest, reassuring, and grounded in real conversations. It’s about recognising those thoughts for what they are, understanding where they come from, and reminding yourself that feeling like an impostor doesn’t mean you are one.

Grab a brew. You’re very much in good company.

About Simon and Danielle:

Simon and Danielle are both business owners, based in the East Midlands, who met through mutual business contacts and who share a love of all things business. 

Simon runs Skylight Media – Award-winning experts in Website Design, E-commerce & Marketing running since 2003.

Danielle runs Goldspun Support – a multi-faceted support service for fractional directors and small business owners across the globe, running since 2009.

Since they first met Simon and Danielle have spent a ridiculous amount of time talking about the subjects that interest them – usually over a drink in the pub – and they decided that now was the time to bring these conversations to a wider audience and invite them to join the chat. 

Both Simon and Danielle are successful business owners in their own rights with big plans for the future but will never lose their love of talking all things business… and the pub.

Grab your brew, because this one is a masterclass in how not to treat your customers.

We’re talking about Dave Carroll, a Canadian singer songwriter who watched his guitar get manhandled by United Airlines baggage handlers back in 2008. He did what any reasonable person would do. He complained. He filled in the forms. He followed the process. And United did what United did best at the time… absolutely nothing.

Thanks to a tidy little 24 hour reporting rule, his claim was denied. Case closed. Or so they thought.

Instead of shouting into the void, Dave picked up another guitar and wrote a song. Then he made a music video. “United Breaks Guitars” landed online in 2009 and went properly viral, racking up over 23 million views and becoming a global case study in reputation damage.

The fallout was brutal. All because one customer wasn’t listened to.

We unpack why this story still matters, how quickly bad customer experiences can spiral when content meets the internet, and why ignoring a complaint can cost far more than fixing the problem ever would.

It’s funny, painful, and wildly instructive.

About Simon and Danielle:

Simon and Danielle are both business owners, based in the East Midlands, who met through mutual business contacts and who share a love of all things business. 

Simon runs Skylight Media – Award-winning experts in Website Design, E-commerce & Marketing running since 2003.

Danielle runs Goldspun Support – a multi-faceted support service for fractional directors and small business owners across the globe, running since 2009.

Since they first met Simon and Danielle have spent a ridiculous amount of time talking about the subjects that interest them – usually over a drink in the pub – and they decided that now was the time to bring these conversations to a wider audience and invite them to join the chat. 

Both Simon and Danielle are successful business owners in their own rights with big plans for the future but will never lose their love of talking all things business… and the pub.

This week we’re unpacking one of the most bonkers moments in modern banking history, the 2023 collapse of Silicon Valley Bank. And yes… it involves social media, panic, and a truly eye-watering amount of money vanishing at speed.

This episode is all about speed. The speed of information, the speed of fear, and the speed at which confidence can evaporate when Twitter gets involved. We chat about misinformation, mass psychology, and why banks are far more fragile than most of us like to believe.

It’s part cautionary tale, part social media reality check, and part “how on earth did we get here?”

About Simon and Danielle:

Simon and Danielle are both business owners, based in the East Midlands, who met through mutual business contacts and who share a love of all things business. 

Simon runs Skylight Media – Award-winning experts in Website Design, E-commerce & Marketing running since 2003.

Danielle runs Goldspun Support – a multi-faceted support service for fractional directors and small business owners across the globe, running since 2009.

Since they first met Simon and Danielle have spent a ridiculous amount of time talking about the subjects that interest them – usually over a drink in the pub – and they decided that now was the time to bring these conversations to a wider audience and invite them to join the chat. 

Both Simon and Danielle are successful business owners in their own rights with big plans for the future but will never lose their love of talking all things business… and the pub.

Put the kettle on, because this week we’re diving into the corporate buffet that is Cargill, one of the biggest companies you’ve probably never heard of (and definitely can’t avoid).

They’ve got their fingers in more pies than your local bakery. On the one hand, they’re praised for keeping food prices stable, supporting farmers, and helping to feed the world. On the other? They’ve been accused of deforestation, dodgy labour practices, and a carbon footprint large enough to make Greta Thunberg faint.

We chat through the paradox of it all,  how a company can do so much good while also being, well, a bit of a villain. It’s the classic “can’t live with them, can’t eat without them” situation.

We’re asking the big questions: can any company this size really stay ethical? Or is it just the price of feeding billions?

About Simon and Danielle:

Simon and Danielle are both business owners, based in the East Midlands, who met through mutual business contacts and who share a love of all things business. 

Simon runs Skylight Media – Award-winning experts in Website Design, E-commerce & Marketing running since 2003.

Danielle runs Goldspun Support – a multi-faceted support service for fractional directors and small business owners across the globe, running since 2009.

Since they first met Simon and Danielle have spent a ridiculous amount of time talking about the subjects that interest them – usually over a drink in the pub – and they decided that now was the time to bring these conversations to a wider audience and invite them to join the chat. 

Both Simon and Danielle are successful business owners in their own rights with big plans for the future but will never lose their love of talking all things business… and the pub.

One of the wildest business stories of our time... Elizabeth Holmes and the Theranos disaster. And honestly… where do you even start with this one?

Holmes dropped out of Stanford at nineteen, put on a Steve Jobs turtleneck, lowered her voice about two octaves, and somehow convinced some of the richest, most powerful people on the planet to throw over $700 million at a device that never actually worked. (If only confidence alone could do that for the rest of us.)

Theranos promised to change healthcare forever with a simple finger-prick blood test. In reality? Their machine was so inaccurate that results could be up to 40% off, which is… not ideal when you’re trying to diagnose actual diseases.

It took brave whistleblowers to finally crack the illusion. Holmes ended up with an 11-year prison sentence and a casual $452 million restitution bill.

But beyond the drama (and oh, there’s plenty), we get into the why behind it.
Why are people so desperate for quick healthcare fixes?
Why do investors get swept up in charisma instead of due diligence?
And why does “revolutionary tech” somehow keep meaning “we hope nobody checks the numbers”?

If you love a good business scandal, a bit of chaos, or a gentle roast of Silicon Valley optimism, you’re going to enjoy this one.

Grab your brew, get comfy, and join us as we unpack the madness.

About Simon and Danielle:

Simon and Danielle are both business owners, based in the East Midlands, who met through mutual business contacts and who share a love of all things business. 

Simon runs Skylight Media – Award-winning experts in Website Design, E-commerce & Marketing running since 2003.

Danielle runs Goldspun Support – a multi-faceted support service for fractional directors and small business owners across the globe, running since 2009.

Since they first met Simon and Danielle have spent a ridiculous amount of time talking about the subjects that interest them – usually over a drink in the pub – and they decided that now was the time to bring these conversations to a wider audience and invite them to join the chat. 

Both Simon and Danielle are successful business owners in their own rights with big plans for the future but will never lose their love of talking all things business… and the pub.

So… do you have to be slightly unhinged to start a business?

Simon and I decided to tackle the question head-on... and honestly, the evidence is stacked against our sanity.

We kick things off with some very British statistics from 2023:
800,000 new businesses registered in the UK, which sounds impressive… until you realise 20% don’t even make it through the first year and a whopping 60% disappear within five.
Cheery, right?

There's also the emotional side of entrepreneurship... the bit no glossy Instagram reel prepares you for. The late nights, the internal panic, the quiet crying at your desk while googling “how to run a business without losing the will to live.” Entrepreneurs are 200% higher risk of depression. Yes, two hundred percent!!
 Suddenly “Do you have to be crazy?” starts to feel like a genuine screening question.

But before you think this is all doom and gloom, we talk about why people still do it, and why we did it too. Because honestly? You need a little bit of madness. A bit of misplaced confidence. A sprinkle of “I’ll figure it out.” And a solid dose of resilience (or stubbornness, depending how you look at it).

We also dig into the role of support networks, the people who remind you that even when you’re convinced your business is falling apart, it’s actually just Tuesday. Entrepreneurship can be isolating, but it doesn’t have to be lonely. With the right people in your corner, the madness feels a lot more manageable.

This episode is honest, hilarious in moments, and painfully relatable if you’ve ever tried to build something from scratch.

So grab your brew, settle in, and ask yourself: Are you brave, brilliant… or just a tiny bit bonkers?

It’s probably all three.

About Simon and Danielle:

Simon and Danielle are both business owners, based in the East Midlands, who met through mutual business contacts and who share a love of all things business. 

Simon runs Skylight Media – Award-winning experts in Website Design, E-commerce & Marketing running since 2003.

Danielle runs Goldspun Support – a multi-faceted support service for fractional directors and small business owners across the globe, running since 2009.

Since they first met Simon and Danielle have spent a ridiculous amount of time talking about the subjects that interest them – usually over a drink in the pub – and they decided that now was the time to bring these conversations to a wider audience and invite them to join the chat. 

Both Simon and Danielle are successful business owners in their own rights with big plans for the future but will never lose their love of talking all things business… and the pub.

What’s really going on behind those “too good to be true” marketing promises?

Simon and I are talking the good stuff first: marketing that treats people like actual humans (ground-breaking, we know). Clear communication, real expectations, transparency that isn’t just sprinkled on top like glitter.

Then we jump straight into the chaos... the fear-based messaging, the “act now or you’ll die cold and alone” tactics, the pretend scarcity, the “guaranteed results” promises, and the guilt-tripping funnels that somehow convince you you’re failing at life if you don’t buy the course. You’ve seen them. You’ve probably rolled your eyes at them. Same.

From SEO cowboys, to lead-gen “gurus,” to PPC agencies that promise the moon and deliver a pebble, we shine a very bright, very unapologetic light on the worst offenders, and why these tactics stick around. Spoiler: because people don’t always know they’re being manipulated.

But here’s the good news! Once you understand how unethical marketing works, you’re a lot harder to fool. Consumer education is the real power move, and ethical businesses (the ones who actually care) are the ones who win long term.

If you’ve ever felt confused, pressured, or straight-up bamboozled by a marketing message… you’re going to love this episode. It’s honest, it’s funny, it’s slightly chaotic, and yes, we definitely rolled our eyes more than once.

Grab your brew, press play, and enjoy.

About Simon and Danielle:

Simon and Danielle are both business owners, based in the East Midlands, who met through mutual business contacts and who share a love of all things business. 

Simon runs Skylight Media – Award-winning experts in Website Design, E-commerce & Marketing running since 2003.

Danielle runs Goldspun Support – a multi-faceted support service for fractional directors and small business owners across the globe, running since 2009.

Since they first met Simon and Danielle have spent a ridiculous amount of time talking about the subjects that interest them – usually over a drink in the pub – and they decided that now was the time to bring these conversations to a wider audience and invite them to join the chat. 

Both Simon and Danielle are successful business owners in their own rights with big plans for the future but will never lose their love of talking all things business… and the pub.

In this week’s episode, Simon and I dive into a topic that comes up again and again… corporate denial. You know the one, the moment a huge organisation gets caught red-handed, denies everything with a perfectly polished statement, and quietly carries on making millions. Yep!

We unpack some of the biggest examples from recent years and explore why it happens, how companies manage to bounce back so quickly, and why society seems to give them more grace than they sometimes deserve.

We also talk about the performative side of corporate “values,” where glossy marketing promises don’t always line up with what’s happening behind the scenes. It’s the gap between what brands say they stand for and what they actually do that frustrates so many of us.

This isn’t just a rant session (although we had a few moments!). It’s an honest look at accountability, reputation, and why genuine change is so rare in corporate spaces. We explore whether public outrage ever leads to lasting transformation, or if most businesses simply ride out the storm until the media moves on.

If you’ve ever wondered why some companies seem untouchable... or why “lessons learned” often feels like an empty phrase, this episode pulls back the curtain. It’s thought-provoking, a little spicy, and full of those conversations we all have privately but rarely say out loud.

Grab a cuppa and join us. This one goes deep!

About Simon and Danielle:

Simon and Danielle are both business owners, based in the East Midlands, who met through mutual business contacts and who share a love of all things business. 

Simon runs Skylight Media – Award-winning experts in Website Design, E-commerce & Marketing running since 2003.

Danielle runs Goldspun Support – a multi-faceted support service for fractional directors and small business owners across the globe, running since 2009.

Since they first met Simon and Danielle have spent a ridiculous amount of time talking about the subjects that interest them – usually over a drink in the pub – and they decided that now was the time to bring these conversations to a wider audience and invite them to join the chat. 

Both Simon and Danielle are successful business owners in their own rights with big plans for the future but will never lose their love of talking all things business… and the pub.

Grab your mug and settle in, because this week we’re tackling one of the biggest questions shaking up the creative world... can artificial intelligence really be creative?

We chat about the good, the bad, and the slightly terrifying side of it all, from how AI can supercharge efficiency to the uncomfortable question of whether it could ever replace genuine human creativity. Spoiler! We’re not convinced it can.

There’s also a serious side to this brew-fuelled chat, the ethical and legal mess that comes with AI-generated content. Should creators be declaring when something’s AI-made? Who’s responsible if it copies someone else’s work? And what happens when regulations finally catch up?

This episode isn’t a doom scroll in podcast form, it’s a conversation about balance, transparency, and remembering that while AI can imitate, it can’t feel. Creativity, at its core, is still a human heartbeat.

Tune in and join us as we unpack the ethics, the innovation, and the odd existential crisis, all in the name of keeping our creative cups half full.

About Simon and Danielle:

Simon and Danielle are both business owners, based in the East Midlands, who met through mutual business contacts and who share a love of all things business. 

Simon runs Skylight Media – Award-winning experts in Website Design, E-commerce & Marketing running since 2003.

Danielle runs Goldspun Support – a multi-faceted support service for fractional directors and small business owners across the globe, running since 2009.

Since they first met Simon and Danielle have spent a ridiculous amount of time talking about the subjects that interest them – usually over a drink in the pub – and they decided that now was the time to bring these conversations to a wider audience and invite them to join the chat. 

Both Simon and Danielle are successful business owners in their own rights with big plans for the future but will never lose their love of talking all things business… and the pub.